Thursday, 5 February 2015

Valentine's Pillow Talk

It's no secret that I am not fond of the same old, same old Valentine's gifts that are trotted out every year by the major retail chains. It's boring, predictable and it's time to think differently. I have already posted about some alternative suggestions for the day, to keep things fresh and personal to your relationship, but I just had to take a moment to share with you this fantastic gift idea from Love Pillow Cases.

This is a company that shares my passion for doing things a little bit differently. The imaginative designs and appealing stick figures are bound to convert even the most steadfast anti-romantic. What I loved most about them though, was that they were actually quite practical. The colours were true to the theme, but subtle, so they would fit in well with any colour scheme. There is really no reason to keep these just for Valentine's Day, they wouldn't look out of place as a quirky addition to a bedroom at any time, which makes them much better value than a lot of Valentine's fare. I was pleasantly surprised by the quality too, a decent thread count and robust stitching give these an air of luxury at a very reasonable price. A good thread count is essential in a white pillowcase, in my opinion, otherwise it can easily look cheap and will not stand up to washing nearly as well.

I was given the opportunity to choose a pair of these lovely pillowcases to review for free, and I chose the fishing net design. There is masses of choice on the website, but here are just a few of my favourites.

It sounds like a strange thing to comment on, but the packaging was really cute. I love how they arrange the pillowcases in the box to show the faces of the characters. It makes it really attractive as a gift and shows a fantastic attention to detail. A good, sturdy box is a great indicator of quality too, and something I look for when I am choosing a gift and want the person to feel special.

I was very interested to see how these pillowcases would look on the bed, as it's not always easy to achieve the same effect in your own home that you see in the photographs on websites. I was pleased to see, though, that the picture across the two pillowcases matches up really well and the overall effect is really lovely, as you can see below*. Ooh, I nearly forgot, they also sell mugs, based on the same principle, with the two characters making one picture across both products. They are brilliant for Valentine's gifts, but also ideal for wedding or engagement presents, or maybe just to surprise your loved one! The pillowcases retail at £16.99 and the mugs at £12.97. Delivery starts at £3.10, depending on weight of the overall order.

*Yes, I am aware they could do with an iron, but unfortunately my iron is ancient and tends to trip the electric and The Husband was watching the football when I took the photos!